Real Kyper & Bourne - Draft Prep with Jason Bukala

Episode Date: June 25, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee kick off the show by reacting to the Edmonton Oilers trading Evander Kane to the Vancouver Canucks. Then, former NHL scout Jason Bukala (6:41) stops by to share his thoughts on the Kane trade, the Canucks' next priority, the Islanders' decision on Noah Dobson, the Ducks' paltry return for Trevor Zegras and headlines to look out for on draft day. Finally, Nick, Justin and Sam discuss what lies ahead for Connor McDavid before going to McKee's Midweek Mailbag to answer your questions!The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Welcome on in to the Real Kipper and Bourne show. We are live on Sportsnet Sportsnet 590 The Fan, Sportsnet 960 in Calgary, 650 in Vancouver and Sportsnet Plus. Derek Brandale, Jake the Snake Schultz, Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee. As always, this hour reel, Kipper and Bourne, brought to you by Beth365. We've got a trade. We've got one. We've got some, we've got four trades here in the last couple weeks.

I still think there's gonna be more. But in the meantime, Vancouver Canuck fans, welcome in Evander Kane. It is truly very funny to be like... Oh, I was just gonna say, I got one off the board, off my board that came out yesterday. Yeah, he was on there. So, check out Kip's board. Yeah, he was on the board.

He was on the board. It's just truly very funny to be like, our dressing room is an issue. We brought in Evander Kane. And not that Kane is necessarily gonna turf that but he doesn't have a reputation is like a galvanizing leader. They got rid of a player with an ornery reputation and JT Miller. Did they? A way better one by the way. Did they bring another one in? I guess they're looking at the on ice stuff and going,

hey, we need someone who's tough and bigger and stronger, can shoot it in. No one will ever take away the talent level or what he's able to do on the ice when it comes to Vander Kane. He's a very gifted athlete. Yeah. But... Sure. There's a real but where there's been off-ice stuff in the past.

And I don't know, guys. How do you think Canuck fans are feeling about it today? What is your guess? I would be, I think that there's a, you know, a risk obviously taking him on, but he's a good player who is in a contract here. And you know, you're trying to be good. Like he is a good contributor. I understand all that. But bailing out a division rival, like not having them eat any money or not having them

have to sweeten the pot more than what they gave up to get them. I don't know. I just felt like they're doing a division rival a huge favor by just getting them off that money Totally and just kind of having that off their books I know that was that was the first thing that came to mind when I saw that trade is like oh no retention No, nothing. I guess just is it just a fourth round pick like I don't know It just sounds like that they Edmonton just couldn't get rid of this guy fast enough Mm-hmm, but they didn't have to sweeten it at all for like I don't

get rid of this guy fast enough. But they didn't have to sweeten it at all for, like, I don't know. Yeah, like, I can see Jim Rutherford being like, we're not tough enough. We are not heavy enough. We need some more of this, whatever. I can see why they thought that that made sense. His contract is affordable, 5.125, I think, somewhere around there, is what he's making. 5.125, yeah. Is that what it is, yeah.

So I mean, I can see the logic from that perspective, but does it matter, Kip, about a team being in your division anymore? Like, is it relevant to be like, this is a team you're gonna be going up against? Yeah, not like it used to be. We know still under a cap system now, if you really wanna get rid of a guy or get him out of your room or lose the money off of a contract, then sometimes beggars can't be

choosers here. So if they had to take her in Vancouver, be it in your division in the Western Conference or otherwise, you just take the opportunity. You know, what stood out to me was We heard in the wake as like soon as Florida won the cup not long after you heard rumors that the league was gonna look into the NHL's LTI are or the Oilers LTI are of Kane like they were rumors about that which seems Pretty rich and so considering some of the other chicanery that's gone on the first time the community Some of this had anything to do with just unloading them this quickly. No, I don't necessarily think it's related to that

though, it's not impossible, but it's what did stand out to me is that I You'd also heard some rumors that maybe Kane didn't want to sit out as long as he did and he did a favor to the team And maybe he was upset. But then immediately, the way the breakup happened, Kane posted this beautiful thing about love and respect for the organization and fans in the organization, love and respect for Evander Kane. Like, whatever happened here,

they ended up on really good terms somehow. He had that ready to rock. He did, yeah. He was like, I was in the draft. He wrote that that was waiting to fill in the team that he was going to he Had it last March Deadline and you know hometown guy going back there wanted to go there I believe he played for the Vancouver Giants if I'm not mistaken if that's part of it if he was like part of the why He's happy with Edmonton as they send him. Yeah, Vancouver. So I don't know. I just think that for Vancouver

You're getting a legit NHL player and he's had some injury issues. He's had some clear room issues We all know that story But the side of me that I'll just never understand is bailing out the Oilers When they're clearly desperate to clear a cap to kind of get some Connor McDavid help I'm just surprised that they would just not ask for a bitter attention or anything like that So maybe there's other teams betting on him. So's fine came for nothing right out of a sort of yeah Coming off of the what was the was it the dispute with the I out? sharks

Yeah, it was a great my point is they turn that into a fourth and yeah no, there was a lot of controversy over bringing him in and his off ice challenges over the years and probably there was some pushback a little bit, but it kind of settled in and at the end of the day, Edmonton just valued the type of player that he is and on face value you can't find too many Evander Cain type of players out there and that's Probably the number one thing that Jimmy Rutherford and Patrick Alveen looked at is that where else am I gonna find a player?

That can play like this despite the warts just better to be a solid room, right? Sure, like our room our solid this despite the warts. Just better to be a solid room, right? Sure. Like our room. Our room. Solid. But you know, that's that's a huge part of it. It feels like Colorado is bringing them in. You understand it. But he kind of kept it a little bit under wraps in Edmonton with that leadership

group. It's just going there where it's just seems combustible. It does at best at worst. All right. Let's welcome in Jason Buchla from Pro Hockey Sportsnet, of course, former NHL scout presently in Los Angeles to get ready for Friday night's draft. Bukes, how are you, man? Thanks for joining us. I'm doing great, Kipper. Thanks. Can I pipe off a bit of volcano? Do you guys mind if I go there or what? Buddy, it's like you're all it's like you're hosting the show you don't need permission Just go sorry. All right. Well, listen, I know I listen I've seen you two in action behind the scenes

I gotta stay in my lane. I know I know not with that shirt. You're wearing Nice love it What do you what do you what's your first thought when you heard for a fourth round pick Jimmy Rutherford took Evander Kane? I'm not even looking at the pick value. I'm just I'm I'm with Sammy here Maybe you guys talked about even before I got came on Why in in the division or in the Western Conference make this deal? And I don't like Vancouver's dressing room as it is like I really don't and the Vander Cane is a handful fellas he really is like this guy's this guy's in Florida piping off that he might take a helicopter to the

rink he's obviously had some financial difficulties away from the from the arena and he's driving you know Rolls Royces and you know this and this is a I know he's going home to Vancouver and I know what the Canucks were trying to do here, had that level of a power forward into their group. But when he becomes the alpha in the dressing room, I just, I don't like that mix whatsoever. I just don't, I don't get it to be perfectly honest with you.

You eat all the money, now you've got a situation where you gotta hope that you're resetting the tone in your dressing room with a power guy. I get all the tangibles, but I just don't like it at all on the surface. I'm not a huge character fan of Evander Kame. I think he's a guy that you can insulate in a really strong room,

and if you have a really good team. But when you're in transition, I'm I'm I'm not I wouldn't have recommended it to Dale Tallon If you put it on my plate back in the day Particularly when you're getting into your mid-30s out of a guy and maybe his numbers won't be as good and he'll be frustrated You know, we'll see how that works. So that I guess You know sort of tells us the Canucks plan to be good then. This is no rebuild. Do you think that they're a team that can turn it around next season?

I'm really curious, Borny, still to see what happens in the next couple of days here in Los Angeles. So I think that the Pedersen thing to me is still floating around out there. There's so many. This team a year and a half ago, I thought they're, they're tracking in such a positive direction. Like they were chasing culture for a long, long time, weren't they? They were going through coaches, they were going through different scenarios. And, and I still think now after they had built that up and it went away, now they're going to try and reestablish culture.

They make this deal, which is curious to me. But coming into the weekend here, I think that I'd be better positioned to answer that question after Friday night. Because there's still a part of me that believes that, you know, Pedersen's no trade kicks in here next week. There's still a part of me that believes that those conversations are going on out there. Kipper would know better than me when it comes to these types of things.

But I can tell you from being in these shit scenarios in the past that we would milk it right through the draft just to be sure that we haven't turned over every stone. Like you know, would, I was thinking about it yesterday, I was talking to Sammy on my way out here, Sammy Cause, and wouldn't it surprise, it wouldn't surprise me, I'm not creating rumors, but I'm just saying, it wouldn't surprise me if Vancouver would get on the horn

with a team like Buffalo and say, you know, will you take Pedersen and the 15th overall pick and in return give us Paterka and Bowen for an example. Like these are the types of things and then you you you kind of reestablish your your where they're going next week. So I don't have an answer for you directly. I think they're caught in transition. I don't know what they are right now, quite yet. You're watching and listening to Jason Bucha, who is in Los Angeles,

getting ready for Sportsnet's NHL draft Friday night. Buchs, so for our listeners at Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, you've got uncertainty around Pedersen, you got uncertainty around Pedersen. You got uncertainty around Quinn Hughes. You got uncertainty with your goalie in Dempco here. How important is it that Jimmy Rutherford and Patrick Alveen actually do something, including what you just mentioned with Buffalo, to at least let the fans know here that, you know, we don't want you all hanging indefinitely here.

Like, what do you tell the fans here in terms of who do they hang their hat on in this organization? Yeah, tough one, isn't it? I mean, obviously, obviously you want to hang your hat on Hughes for as long as he possibly can. He's the Bobby Orr of this generation sort of, isn't he? Like, he's him and McCarroll's types of players. I just, again, I'm perplexed about the Canucks. I've talked about them at Nausium. They're like, I've been nauseated actually talking about them as much as I have been. And I still don't know at the goaltending position what Demko can provide next year. Let's assume he's 100% healthy. Sealaws, by the way, guys, just ran the table in the American Hockey League and won MVP of the

Caller Cup playoffs where the Aberthford Canucks won the Caller Cup. And hey, how about Manny Mulholland keeping it together when he didn't get the big gig in Vancouver? Get on him, right? What a pro. But anyways, I digress. I think that you got to take a look at moving somebody else out still to bulk up the roster, if you will. CeeLoves has, he can go back down to the miners next year. That's not going to be where he wants to be. So, you know, do you take a look at moving Demco out then? I would actually take a look at that. I really would. And opening up some more money. They need more. They need more down the middle of the ice. This Kane deal doesn't do it for me. They need more down the middle of the ice. They need when JT Miller went out, like you don't have to have, you guys have all

been in dressing rooms before. I'm not saying that you have to have all choir boys in your dressing room, but when the first move out of the box is adding a Vander Kane, that's like adding that's so far beyond a choir boy to, to ruffle feathers. They need more and Pedersen, like my trust on that is still low right now. Even though he says he's doing all the right things, he's training, he's trying to get back into where he was. Boy, oh boy, I'm very uneasy guys, as you can tell about where things are going in Vancouver. So I'd be investigating all kinds of different options this weekend. I really would.

Just want to follow up the the goaltending market And yeah, it seems like at least Vancouver's got a strength there, right? With with Lankan in and and she loves in terms of what he's been able to do just recently To win a championship here the Leafs to a lesser degree Where was also an organization that had some strength in the depth. I'm not sure where it all finishes out with kind of a weak finish for their goaltending situation. But would teams be pouncing right now on Vancouver into a lesser degree Toronto with such a shortage in that? Yeah, I

Definitely I would think Vancouver more than Toronto right now But there could be an argument made that there's similarities between wall and Demko a little bit like you could you could compare those two Oh, I think they'd be pouncing on Vancouver because they have like an in under contract They signed them the extension. Of course, Shelov's is coming off what he just came off of here. So maybe I'm overthinking that, maybe the Canucks are thinking, well, maybe Shelov's is at the top of his value right now.

Maybe we go down that road and try and acquire something that way. That could be possible as well. So, but yeah, they'll be circling there. And now that I sit here and think about it, I wonder in those Edmonton oiler conversations if Shelav's name even came up for the oilers. I don't know that. I'm just sitting here thinking about it.

Could that have been also in the equation? Because obviously the oil need to do something in net. I would take the risk on Shelav's being better than Pickard and then you know Whatever else happens there happens, but that would have been an upgrade Well, it is interesting that they've talked and got serious about trades because certainly there may be a chance that as they move towards The draft or free agency they'll say hey if this is still on the table Let's talk more curious to see if those two have any more contact or any more discussions Want to make sure I get this in well we have you.

You know as following the Islanders this year seems like Schaeffer is going to be their guy at the draft. Everyone's talking about Huggins. Is it Huggins or Haggins? Haggins in my book. Haggins, okay. Everyone's talking about Haggins in New York. Well, what's going on? Is there a chance for the Isles to get back in and end up with both kids? Whew, so the rumor like I'm not into this like as you guys know the way that I do my work I don't talk to any of the other members of the fraternity when I'm scouting players. I don't do that

Buddy, we like rumors though. We like rumors. I know I know I know so I'll float one out there that I heard in the coffee shop this morning I heard that Haggins could drop as low as 11 and I just about spilt it all over myself. Like if he gets past Nashville and Boston, I would be shocked. So to your point, Borny, if it starts to drop in that type of situation, imagine it this way, you've got Schaeffer at one. Okay. Now do we believe in Dobson going forward? Like, do we really believe in Dobson? And if you don't, do you pick up the phone and say,

I'd really like to get Haggins too, because he's gonna be a one, and Schaefer's gonna be a one. And will my team be better if I trade Dobson out, and I have those two players instead of Dobson? So this is how it would work at the head of the table if I was running it. I would make a call if I see Haggins dropping

to even five at Nashville. Nashville probably wouldn't get a defense, want a defenseman. But beyond that, I would absolutely pick up the phone and see if we can get aggressive that way and make a deal like that for sure. And it's a local kid. As you know, they want to put bodies in the seats. That's nice. But you don't want to put bodies in the seats even more than at playoff games. And you got to build the right roster. Where are you on Dobson, the guy that I have on my trade board, you can catch that on sportsnet.ca,

a guy that had 70 points two years ago, who had great upside. I think the sense is, you know, with an off season that he plateaued or he didn't take a next step but it won't stop some of these guys from asking for 10 million dollars you know once they get in a position to to negotiate a contract and are the islanders now caught between let's move them or let's sign them like like a few others

Let's move them or let's sign them like, like a few others. I would, I would say yes. I would say yes to that. And when you plateau, here's my problem with where we all talk about the salary cap going up and we all talk about guys who had great years a couple of years ago and, and now, and then they plateaued and you know, what's their value at this point in time, players have to start to take accountability for on ice performance in relation to their ask at the contract table. And he plateaued last year for sure Kipper.

That team though, they were pedestrian as a group, like 32nd in both special teams units, if I'm not mistaken, like this was a tough watch. So, but he was part of that problem too. And they gotta be better. He's gonna ask if it's not what I want to pay and it's probably not to be honest with you right now. That's why I'm entertaining all kinds of options there. The Islanders, you know, you have to ask yourself the question. Dobson is a real good player.

I really like Dobson, especially on the right shot situation. If he gets into, if he went to a contending team right now, trust me, he would be better than a secondary guy offensively. Well, let me throw it back at you guys this way. Like Evan Bouchard, for all of his offense, and he actually did play better defensively for 60% of the playoffs, I would say for you guys, in my estimation, because I don't really like his defending. But wouldn't Dobson be in Edmonton? He wouldn't score as much, but he'd do some other things just marginally better than Bouchard. I think that's how teams would look at Dobson, right? So,

is he good for us or is he good for somebody else out there? And where are we? Like, where's our team here? The Isles are, hey, Borny, their minor league system was atrocious this year. It's historically bad. So they got so much going on here. Where are we in our window, I guess? And Matthew Darcy's got his hands full there. It's been bad. They've been bad for a long time in the farm system. So they do have some work to do.

Books, we've seen trades happening already. I wanted to get your thoughts on the trade that sent Zegras to Philadelphia A lot of people are being like it's not doesn't seem a huge win for Anaheim compared to maybe what they could have got And your your thoughts matter because we got in trouble yesterday for not mentioning it at all in our show Did we oh, yeah, we did. Yeah. Yeah, Sammy producing That's on me, man. It's your thoughts pal. I Love it. Oh, he just throws it across the bow at you. They're savvy. It's all good. It's almost a summer, but in cushion, uh, zegress is polarizing. He's a lot of flash and dash and, uh, happy go lucky, but it doesn't

work like that when you're trying to build a culture to win. Uh, so, uh, you know, Philly can take the chance. Here's two sides of it. Philly can take the chance because they are in that mode where they can roll the dice and hope. He's got one year left on his deal. You hope that it works out. He's at 5-5. That's a great example, Kipper. Have a guy who came off a couple good years, signed that deal with Anaheim at 5-5 and then it you know it just caved. Paling, he's a bottom he's a bottom feeder he's a bottom six guy it's amazing how much he's bounced around already as a player but he's a big body he scored actually on balance

he whatever he had last year 31 points 12 goals 19 assists off top of my head something like that he's gonna give them more meat and determination at the bottom of the lineup where Zygrass is going to come into to Philly and hopefully get back to somewhere close to where he was a couple years ago offensively but boy oh boy Rick Tauke he's going to be you know he's going to be in his office a lot he's going to be having to get this kid to mature and not be so flamboyant I guess is the best way it doesn't work like that in the national hockey league you're on your hardest days you can't just be happy go be happy, go lucky. You got to have a big game. You have to have a great game. And I'll give the kid a little bit of credit. There's like a dash eight last year and limited

amount of playing time. Uh, more of the past previous two years like that before I was like minus 23, minus 25. So he did make more of an effort, but when he isn't engaged, oh my goodness, boy, oh boy boy he looks like Willie in Toronto Willie Nylander you know when Willie sometimes he you know does the blow by on the foretuck or something like that Zegris has got a lot of that in him and it's going to be a challenge for the Flyers so I like what Anaheim is doing though and you know what they're doing they're setting up they got 33 million in cap space they're setting themselves up for a big signing or two here books just want to draw on your your personal experience as a NHL scout here because once upon a time Trevor Zegers was a top

10 pick okay we saw him at the World Juniors he was a can't miss kid, they put him on a cover of a video game. And here we are this week, and you couldn't even get a first round pick out of him. And I don't mind Flyers taking a chance. I don't mind even Pat Verbeek saying, I can't win with this guy, I gotta get rid of him. But did Verbeek just wait too long and watch this asset just keep circling the drain to the point where you couldn't even get a first round

pick back for him? What would that have done to like scouts with Anaheim or the organization in whole to watch such a deep, an asset go down like that. Yeah, no, it stinks. I gotta be perfectly honest with you. There'll be a lot of questions asked. And, um, you know, the thing about it is when they went into the rebuild, they

were going to be drafting the best available player, no matter what, and then you're going to nurture that asset. You're going to develop them, et cetera, et cetera. Here's my take on it. You talk about video game covers, you talk about all the like riding around. You remember there's a, he's riding like a mini go-kart thing in Anaheim and then in the belly of the rank.

Like just smiley, smiley, smiley. Here's the thing, boys. On your worst day, this is how I scouted. On your worst day, and this is where I had a problem with Zegros all along. When I go scout a player if he's high end, I know what you can do high end, right? I know what you can do. But on your worst day, I'm talking about when you fail an exam, you're feeling

you know, crap, you got a little bit of a flu, whatever the case may be, when I can still see you perform at a high level on your worst days, now I know I got something. I think the Anaheim Ducks went through that process of seeing him on his worst days and just recognizing that when his worst days aren't even close to good enough to help us win games period and they did everything they possibly could it stinks to send that out the door it really does the the thing about it is they've had so much draft capital and they're so far under the cap for so many years now they're going to be able to hide that but it's uh it doesn't feel good behind the scenes marty madden there They're director of scouting. He does a fantastic job has forever

But he's not feeling good about it for sure. Yeah, so as you head towards this draft You know you say that you don't talk to other people to get their opinion. Just do your own nobody's there in LA well fair enough Even if they were though where where does your opinion differ from the consensus in this draft? It starts to differ. Well, I think it differs for some at number one. But if you guys watch that special on Schaeffer on sports that that ran like this kid is he's all world. So he's number one for me all day long. But I'm off the I'm off the grid at number two.

I've got Caleb De Noyer from the Muck the Wildcats going number two really the reason yeah he's six foot two that people some people got him going at like six seven or eight you know and that's way too late for my liking he's a six foot two kid he's 186 pounds right now he's gonna be 210 pounds born when he's done he plays all situations okay there's a there's like a line in the sand for me at the top of the draft class Michael Mesa Caleb de Noye They can play all situations right Haggins can't he's gonna be he's gonna be that offensive guy and he's gonna score an even strength He'll be great three on three and overtime whatever but Caleb de Noye

I'll take 15 less points Maybe even 20 kind of like what we did with bar cop back in the day in in Florida when we selected him you knew what you were gonna get get in the all round and that was going to make our group much deeper and much better. So Kayla De Noye right at number two is an outlier for a lot of people. I've had some pushback about that. I don't care. That's where he's going to be for me. And I think that he's a top line centerman that you build around for years to come. And by the way, if San Jose did pick them, you'd have Sellebrini and De Noye back to back. I think that's a hell of a way to build your team. What does a decentralized draft feel like a couple of days out from

from the weekend? Stinks. Stinks. It's brutal. It's no fun. Like, well, it's not no fun. I'm having a hell of a good time. Don't get me wrong. I didn't wear the shirt for no reason at all, right? But it doesn't feel the same. Like the combine took on more of a convention feel this year compared to the years gone by. And I think it's the reason that everybody's not here. I hope we get back to it. There are some kids here. I think there's about 60 of them, but the hotel doesn't, it's not all decorated up in the NHL stuff. And it's not, you don't see the signs down downtown LA here. You don't see any of that. Now I haven't the NHL stuff. And it's not, you don't see the signs down downtown LA here. You don't see any of that.

Now I haven't been over to the theater where it's gonna happen, the Peacock Theater, but I'm looking forward to us getting back to the way we did it before, because that's unique. It's fun, it's great for everybody. Just quickly before we let you go, between now and Friday night, do you expect more deals?

I do, I do, yeah, I do. I expect more more trades. I NHL roster guys. I think that you're going to I keep a close eye on on Utah. I think you guys might even agree on that. Like Utah has got found money at number four right now. Moving up 10 spots in the draft. I think they're in win now mode or at least getting the playoffs now mode. So I do believe this there's going to be a lot of noise here before Friday night. Okay, I promise this is the last one. Okay. Where do you,

are we gonna see some really goofy contracts come July 1st with this bump up of $10 million for the next three years on the salary cap? Yeah, we are. Yeah, we are. Like 15, 16 million a year kind of numbers? God, I hope not. God, I hope not.

I really hope not because here's what happens. Thank you for putting this on me when we're walking out the door, but here's what happens. This pre-agency class isn't as good as next year's fellows and everybody in the league is impatient. That's how the league, everybody's programmed that way. They can say what they want. They're impatient. So they see a bunch of opportunities to buy Christmas presents and throw them under the

tree right now, they spent X number of dollars. And then guess what happens? Next year, when that free agency crops even bigger and the money really has to be spent on that group of players because they're better, teams are going to be sitting there holding the bag, buying out players or trying to make a Vanderkeen type deals and whatever else. So if I'm running a team right now, I'm looking for shorter end contracts, responsible money, even if it means I take a step back or stay the same for a year. Wait, wait this out because goofy money next week is going to affect you long term.

Bukk's great stuff as always, man. Thanks for joining us. Enjoy your time in lovely California. Thanks guys. Appreciate you having me on. a great day see you Sammy good luck buddy appreciate it pro hockey and sportsnet.ca NHL former scout Jason Buchla it's good stuff yeah the I like the point about Dana Dana ya don't I say it but you know like if Haggins is gonna be a one-way guy I like getting the guys too okay you know what's stuck out for gonna be a one-way guy, I like getting the guys to okay you know what stuck out for me with him is

him talking about next year already with the free agent market and more money coming into the system and Certain teams that may have to stay Patient so I'll circle back to Vancouver. Is this the year Vancouver needs to just stay calm? And I'll throw it to Sammy's Toronto Maple Leafs. Is this the off year that they have to take a step back? Can I read you the list of free agents from next summer? Yeah, I mean, we don't know who's going to get there, but yes. Connor McDavid Panarin

Bobrovsky Jack Eichel Ovechkin Kaprizov Macar Patrick Lane Truba John Carlson Jason Roberts and his a RFA Kyle Connor Some names. Yeah Yeah, I mean all those guys could get signed this year. For sure. But they're not under contract yet. Yeah. Yeah, I mean it's a hard thing to do in sports, particularly when you have elite talent in their prime like Austin Matthews and William Nylander.

Is there enough in Vancouver that you're like, we got to go while Petey's in his prime? Maybe not. Maybe not quite, but it's a tough thing to do, Kev, to willingly step back. Listen, I know. When you don't know that you're going to land something. I know, but that's the calculated risk. And it's a hard thing to do, especially when you charge some places $200, $250, $ $300 a ticket the pressure to

Deliver in my opinion. I think they should say screw that and pay Brad Marsha at nine million dollars That's what I think they should do Sammy The issue is it it still may not be enough. No. Yes Anything new on that since we talked yesterday? outside of Florida trying to convince their team to stay intact. No, I don't think anything's imminent. Okay. So everybody just remains patient. You would think they should do that.

That would make a lot of sense. But no, I mean these are teams, in Toronto in particularly, you know, you're in game seven of the second round last year. You feel like you're not a bad team. You're close. You've been aiming at being good now. I don't think you can say we're gonna willingly step back I do think that you as I said yesterday not gonna fix these problems through ufa What percent chance of Connor McDavid? Do you have to stay like what if there's a percentage chance of him signing with your team the following off season, like what does the percentage have to be

for you to take a step back? I don't think you can do it. I don't think, you mean over 50? Okay, Kipper? Cause I would say like. I think it's way too early to be thinking like that, but if Connor goes into the fall and the fall turns into Christmas,

then you can be a lot more aggressive on where you wanna go. But if he was available, you would ship everyone out. You don't care at that point. You're like, we'll just have him. But no, I mean, if you knew where he wanted to go, there's no way that you're gonna trade all your assets to try to get him and then you come here.

First of all, there is no trade. There is no trade out there for Conor McDavid. There isn't. Okay. So I think the theory is is that he either kind of plays it out. Easily. Or he signs his new contract with Edmondson.

Those are the two choices. I also think that it's silly when people talk about that trade stuff because it's like he doesn't want to weaken the team he wants to go play for. That's what I mean. That's exactly what I was getting at. It's like what the Leafs would have to do or what the Rangers would have to do or what the Kings would have to trade to get them before. But then you're done. There is a middle on that because

Connor also understands that teams have to alleviate some money if he was gonna go there. So the easiest way to do that is to probably send it back to Edmonton, but it would just, it wouldn't be a fair fight right it just there's there's nothing that can be equal other than you're taking someone's headache away yeah yeah last oilers thing Andy Strickland tweeted that Evan Bouchard is monitoring the upcoming negotiations with Connor McDavid but don't expect him to come off his 10 million per season ass. And I don't blame him.

Again, I'll stand by the fact that I don't think he is a bona fide number one defenseman to lead a Stanley Cup, but he can be a part of a group and he's special when it comes to offense. He is special and is worthy of a $10 million contract. But I don't think he's going to pretend to be anything other than what he is right now. And that is a very gifted player offensively. And you leave it at that. I'll go back to Dobson a little bit here.

If you were to trade out, if you were to put Bouchard on the Islanders and take away the the chemistry with McDavid and Dry Settle on a power play how good is he? Yeah yeah it's I mean a worthwhile question the other thing yeah that you're right the point production it's like oh he's got all these points like well he's fired up to 29 and 97 And it works Doesn't make great plays and he hammers it harder than that, but those guys obviously help But I will say the ten million dollar cap and Jay fresh had tweeted something today about Bouchard and what a ten million dollar contract today is worth compared to

You know under this cap as the cap goes up and you're taking X percentage of it at 10 million this year And he's got it at nine to the next year then eight five seven eight seven five all the way down to six point six At the end of the deal, you know by fraction of the cap that it takes up My point is that a ten million dollar contract sounds scary right now if you do it for eight years Not that scary for a guy who's playing on your top hair. That's very fair. In his mid-20s. Yeah. Yeah, that's right.

I think it happens. No bones about him re-upping at 70 or 80 million bucks. Game time? Game time. It's game time. Presented by Bet365, visit the app for the latest odds and find out why it's never ordinary at Bet365, it's 19 plus, Ontario only.

Please play responsibly. Going back to the well with the Toronto Blue Jays tonight Big win last night George Springer Grant slam Let's go bounce him back from the tough loss on Sunday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox Tonight again in Cleveland 641st pitch on sports at sports at 590 the fan as always The Jays are handing the ball to Max Scherzer. He is making his return to the rotation. I watched his first game in person. I thought he was actually pretty good in that game until he left.

Kipper thought he was done for sure. I thought that he was just a $15 million coach now, but he is actually pitching and give me Max Scherzer over four and a half strikeouts tonight at plus 115. Yeah, you can do that in two innings. Yeah, he'll get three innings tonight and he'll be able to do it. Scherzer over four and a half strikeouts tonight at plus 115. Yeah, you can do that in two innings. Yeah, he'll get three innings tonight and he'll be able to do it. So give me Max Scherzer over four and a half

strikeouts at plus 115. 15 mil a year and we're pushing three innings out of him. Well, I mean, he's got somewhere maybe he's got two. What a life. He'll be pitching seven when they get to the ALCS. He lit up Buffalo when he was down there, just darts. Oh yeah, he looked good, like he looked like himself. So hopefully he comes up here and listen.

So he, what was it, a thumb? What was the deal? I don't know, his thumb was connected to his. Thumb nail, wasn't it? His thumb was connected to the elbow, connected to the hip, like his whole. Okay. He's old. Like he's an old guy.

He's got the olds. Listen. The rubber bands are dry. They needed somebody in the rotation to give him a few more innings He's a veteran guy if they can get some decent innings out of him. It'd be a worth 15 million bucks Anyways, that was game time presented by bet three six five visit the app for the size of find out why is ever ordinary at? Bet three six five must be 19 plus Ontario only please play responsibly Okay, we'll take a quick break and when we return Sammy we got a little mailbag what is what I have five questions for you five they're all leaves so huge burning questions in our mailbag you won't want to miss this back one more real Kipper and born after these words

hey it's Ailish for afar and I'm Justin Cuthbert join us as we discuss the most the real Kipper and born after these words. Hey, it's a L. A for a fire and I'm Justin Cuthbert. Join us as we discuss the most important sports stories of the day and tee up the biggest games of

the night. It's the fan pre game six PM weekdays on sports that sports at five 90 the fan and wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program. As a reminder, this hour of real kipper and born brought to you by bet three, six, five, Justin born Sammy Mickey and yours truly. All right, Sammy dazzle us with your mail bag. Bag. I'm not gonna. Boy, go ahead. Phrasing.

From Zach over under three and a half trades at the draft involving current players, and not teams trading up or down. They don't count. My initial thought on that is defined at the draft, you know, because like around the draft. Yeah, like starting now, now from now to the dress over now over right now. Right now. No, no, no, no, no, no. Not including Vader Kane. Right now. OK, yes, I got over three and a half trades.

Yes, at least it feels like everyone's talking about talking, talking. It feels like a thing. Yes, there's there's buzz like everyone's talking about talking talking. It feels like a thing Yes, there's but there's buzz. There's rumors about yeah, there's hearsay There is hearsay always rumbling something like in the past when I've actually gone to the draft to work it I'd come off the plane and there'd be like two or three trades. The biggest one I remember was I think Philly and LA around Jeff Carter and yeah and Mike Richards But didn't Carter a deal Carter went somewhere else before he went to LA Columbus Columbus. Yeah. Yeah Columbus I know LA

Yeah, I really believe that that Some teams are really itching to do something here. You know, we said going into the playoffs last year, there's like 11 teams that could have won the cup. There was 20 teams that could have made playoffs. There's a lot of teams who think they're good or close. And then you had everyone else who's trying to get better. There's like 26 buyers right now and a few teams that are like, we're not sure pretty

much everyone else thinks they're good good So that means a lot of buyers From least loyalist on Twitter. I'm gonna give you one guess what he wants to know about something with the least Thoughts on the Leafs flipping Carlo for a C. I Don't like it. I don't like it for a center a center see I actually think Carlos name has come up a few times and Got it hit with for retention, he's making 3.4-ish next year. 3.4 million for the next year and the year after.

He's 28 years old, prime HD man, big, really like Carlo. Kipper, truth sealer. He's not Kipper's favorite. I'm okay with him. Okay, but The one thing that if if you are Brad tree living right now and you need to find a way to get better. Yeah and The previous, you know General manager kind of left your cupboards really really bare. Well, I mean he also Bared him up pretty good himself this year at the deadline.

Okay, fair enough. Not just Kyle. Fair enough. Yeah. My whole point in all of this is how many true assets do you have to go get help, even if it is a centerman? What is out there that is of value that someone would want?

And I look at the Leaf roster and I'm like, kind of slim pickings here. Carlo maybe would be one of them. I'll throw you another name out there that, I'm not thrilled about moving, but there might be some real value that you can collect some assets here in Joseph Wall. I see what you're saying.

I respect what you're saying in that in order to fill some of these holes, you don't have a lot to exchange and I'm sitting here talking about you have to trade. Well, who do you want us to trade? Cowan? Right. Then that's what you get calls on.

Oh, you want a second line centerman? How about giving us Cowan? And you're like, where are you on that? Yeah. I mean, I would do it. I would do it. You know, I look at this Leafs D-Corp, Jake McCabe, Chris Tanev, Morgan Reilly, Simone Benoit, Oliver Ekerman-Larson. You might have to give up a piece here. You would have Philippe Meyers in for Carlo in this instance, which he got better last

year. It's a drop off though. It's pretty significant. But yes, I recognize that you're going to have to do something to get better. I would, I'm not saying he's unmovable. I'm saying I like the player. I like him a lot. Yeah.

Right shot six, six, but you know, this guy, I love him at 3.4 with another year. So okay. He's a real chip to me then. You know this guy I love him at 3.4. Yeah with another year. So, okay He's a real chip to me then like like if you want Carlo then yes, we're talking about a significant player back. So I Hear it. I hear it. I hear it. So like hurdle Like hurdle hurdle present presently after Angelo's gone presently if we take full value Be gone on the Leafs not being close to Tavares, and we know Mitch is out the door, they have no second line right now.

No, they have no second line. And to follow up on this, Vegas is without Petro and you mentioned Hag-Mago. All of a sudden they're DE. There's a lot of names here Yeah, another name. I hear is Nick wah. Oh Available. Yeah. Yeah, you like him. I do like him. I like him too. He's three million dollars They're gonna have to unload a little bit here. They got they got a few choices to unload but Nicholas wah would be one of them the leaf second line currently on

daily faceoff is McMahon Domi Cowan, so He got some work need a bit of a step from Easton yeah lots of Brad tree living. Oh my god. That is he Nick Robertson Okay, and in that keep I mean by the way, I do mean that keep it. No, no, they're shopping them Please please I don't want to have one Keep Nick Robertson. Okay, and in that? Keep, I mean, by the way, I do mean that, keep him. No, no, they're shopping him. Please, please, I don't wanna have one more Nick Robertson conversation next year. Give me Nicky.

This is in that sort of conversation. Chances Brad, Brad's living, looks at targeting Kadri. He's exactly what the team needs. The group that traded him is gone. Brad was the one who signed him in Calgary, but are the flames simply too petty to deal with their ex? No, not petty. No, no, I agree, not petty.

But Kadri. What do you have? If you're Calgary, right? What do you have? I don't think- Oh, like what the hell are you trading us for? Yes, yeah, and Kadri is not enough of a plus. Kallen again.

But he's not enough of a plus asset, but he's not enough of a plus asset You know four more years at seven. Yeah, but you just talked about Bouchard what that'll look like in a year, right? You're absolutely right, but I'm just saying it's I don't think it's like What is Calgary gonna get back to feel like we're better today for this and maybe discount? It's always Cowan Cowan plus yeah, I, could they trade a 2038? For Cadry? I'm hard out on that. 2038 for Champagne? Cadry's come on. Cadry's legit. I know he's legit, but he's gonna turn 35 at the end of this summer here. Is he really? Yeah. No. Yes. October. I know I heard just March thing, right? 37, like he stinks, he's no good, it's over.

No, no, no, no, no, it's not that it's over, it's that, what do you think? So last year, what did he have for points? He had a great year last year, great year, 67 points. And he's a leader, and he's a culture guy. So I'm not saying that, you know, he's Brad Marchand, but they're, they're, they kind of run parallel here Stanley Cup champions play the game hard. That's reputation for playoff. I don't want it to come off that.

I don't think Kadri is a good player. I think he's a great player and a good dude. Like by all accounts, very much pro Kadri. It's the contract where it's like, you got to give up Easton Cowan. What is Cowan is a blue chip, but you give up Cowan now and you have No prospects none. No blue chips. No can't miss. That's what I'm saying. That's why I don't want to do it Yeah, I know let alone plus I don't know and now go back and revisit your second line again Well, listen, you have it haven't signed anyone yet, right? It's you have a season come on up like moves

Er, it's that time of year where those guys are listed You got to pull something out July 1st. I Don't want to sound off you do I don't get too grim here But like, you know, it's all that talk about Bennett and finding a Bennett. It's like the leaves had Bennett They had their Bennett. They had their greasy Second line shut downy type Second line center and he did he did dumb things in

the playoffs and in Kyle Dubas like I hate that and he traded him for absolutely nothing and they had their Bennett and it's heartbreaking you should have retired a leave you should have leave his whole career sorry sorry to get so mad about that it pisses me off would you this is a wild one we frightle him would you trade Morgan Reilly for Eric Carlson? Assuming the pens retain and the cap hits match up. How many years does Carlson have left? Not as many as Morgan Reilly. You, Kip?

Probably, yeah. Carlson? Is it three more years? No, this and one more. You can probably yeah Carlson Know this and one more I would I would I would bank on Insulating him with good defensive players, which McCabe could Cover up TANF could cover up Ben was been solid. Yeah, so The answers yeah, I think I would. A better depth guy to come up the ice with Austin Matthews and Willie Neelander. I rolled a dice on that one, Sammy. But Pittsburgh has to eat. I'm sure Kyle would be thrilled to do the least of favor.

I gotta wash it. I gotta wash the. But at least I gotta wash the money. I can't take on the extra money. And the other mailbag one was Morgan Reilly related. Morgan Reilly to Vancouver for a second and Joshua. Win-win for both teams. Morgan can go home and lease move money while adding some new DNA. I think that's one that Morgan would definitely lift his no move for. Vancouver? I think so's one that Morgan would definitely lift his no move for Vancouver. I think so

It's going home. Yeah, but I mean it's going home always the I don't know It's been home for eight years and you can't get out of here fast enough You know always a chance I could be wrong. I don't know. Anyways, that was the mailbag. All right It is uh It is gonna be fascinating this year as you head toward the draft to see what it looks like Hey, like this decentralized draft. Everybody's just convinced. This is like a one-off, but the players are there So it's like Matthew Shaver I get to be the first overall pick and I don't get to do the thing that every other guys ever gotten in everyone's

Like oh was it kovat and he's like no, they just didn't want a one-year They just think for one random year for no reason at all. Lash, where's Lashier? The sphere. It's like, oh my God, tough bounce. Is this from middle ground? Brutal. Doing it in the lobby of a hotel next year. But think of the money they're saving. Who cares? Kipper, where's the draft show?

Where is it? Are we giving it to Schaefer? I'm joking. Is it in Freage's hotel room? Where's the where's the draft? Show even where's the Schaefer? I'm joking. Is it in Frege's hotel room? Where's the draft show? I don't know. I don't know any of those questions. All right. Okay, just like that. It's over.

What do we got looking for? Jays game. We're off tomorrow. Jays play an afternoon game. Oh, okay. There you go back Friday with Mac, right? We are our thanks to Jason Buch playing afternoon game. Oh, okay. We're back Friday with Mac, right? We are. Our thanks to Jason Buchla and we're back on Friday.